Dirrell: I am not fighting Chavez Jr.

Last weekend, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. announced on Twitter that he was returning to the ring on Nov. 11 at The Forum in Inglewood, California against former WBC super-middleweight world champion Anthony Dirrell.

However, according to Dirrell, 33, of Flint, it’s not true.

“Don’t believe that,” he told Grand Rapids-based newspaper MLive.

Dirrell (30-1-1, 24 KO’s) was scheduled to face Callum Smith for the WBC title in September, but Smith chose to fight in the World Boxing Super Series, where he advanced to the next round with a unanimous decision victory over the previously undefeated Erik Skoglund. Then, Dirrell was slated to face David Benavidez, but withdrew due to injury.

He has won his last three fights since losing his WBC belt to current WBA light-heavyweight world champion Badou Jack by majority decision in April 2015. If Dirrell wants to become a world champion again, he is running out of time.

“I’ve been doing this almost 24 years, and it’s about that time [to think about retirement],” Dirrell said. “I’ve already set a goal to retire at 34 or 35, and I just feel like it’s the right time.

“It’s sad, but all good things will come to an end at some time. I want to be champion one more time, and I think I will do that.”